An Unexpected Legacy

Authors' Note: Thanks for the reviews. We hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 3

Splendidly?

Itachi bites his lower lip at the thought. Hard enough that he tastes his own blood. A sensation that he'd first grown accustomed to after being turned into a vampire. It had taken a bit of time to get used to the the size of his fangs in proportion to his mouth at first. Though in times of stress it an old habit he fell back into. Like now for instance.

"I can't believe I never knew." Sighing, Itachi clicks on the next article. He should have tried to find Naomi. But learning how to survive as a vampire had overshadowed everything else for a couple years and by the time it might have been safe, well, surely a beautiful woman like that would have moved on from one night of passion.

What right did he have to track her down? And for what? To try and pick up where they left off? Hope that she loved the nightlife and didn't mind his new diet? No, she'd been normal. Naomi didn't deserve to have the supernatural world thrust on her doorstep. It had been better just to get on with his life and allow her to do the same. Or so he thought.

A wistful smile crosses his bleeding lips at the sight of Kagami's business website. "He looks so much like you, Naomi. Right down to your curls."

Perhaps Indra had been right about that much. If nothing else, Itachi had given him good genes. But what was he to do now? In the modern era, it wasn't unheard of for long lost relatives to track each other down using the Internet. There was just one problem with that. Kagami had been born in 1970. And Itachi barely looked older than Shisui. He'd have more luck convincing the man he was Shisui's long lost brother than grandfather.

Still, there was a comfort at least in having the technology to track down his son. It made Kagami seem that much closer, despite the yet vast distance between them. Though Itachi would admit that he hadn't quite been expecting what he found. Tattoos were a long-debated topic in Japan, one that drew a great deal of ire from conservative lawmakers who continued to associate them almost exclusively with the Yakuza. Thus, it was a surprise to find that Kagami's career of choice going so harshly against the grains of their society.

Was that why he picked up and moved to Australia?

Itachi wouldn't blame him if that were the case. Kagami's portfolio, a huge gallery of sketches, paintings, and photos of fresh tattoos, expressed a huge degree of artistic talent. One that would certainly struggle to be accepted here.

His heart skips a beat when he scrolls through the gallery, past swooping phoenixes, swarming crows, and soaring dragons, down to a photo of three stylized kanji tattooed onto a smooth, tanned forearm.

Honour. Courage. Victory.

He recognized the arm thanks to his supernatural eye for detail and having seen Shisui's stream. Kagami had given his son a tattoo. It was a bittersweet realization. They must be close for Shisui to have let his 'old man' anywhere near him with needles. The notion coaxes a dry chuckle from his throat. "Well, at least there's that. I can only assume the boy inherited his mother's artistic talents."

Naomi had mentioned she was an art major. The woman had been a talented photographer. Her love for taking photos was probably the reason Indra had managed to track her down in the first place. It seemed both mother and son had love for preserving beautiful images. The only difference is one preferred film and the other etched it onto skin.

"I do wonder how having a photographer for a grandmother, a NASA scientist as a grandfather, and a tattoo artist for a father ended up producing a martial artist, though." He shakes his head, smiling at the thoughts. "No doubt Sasuke's or Indra's influence." Still, influencing their family's legacy even after countless generations.

Without so much as a breeze to warn Itachi of his arrival, a sudden weight settles itself on Itachi's shoulders. "What am I influencing this time?"

"Sasuke!" Was it possible for a vampire to have a heart attack? Itachi supposed he was about to find out. Damn it. He'd been sure that Sasuke would be spending at least a few more hours exploring the archives. It was one of his favourite 'hobbies' outside of training and more...erotic pursuits. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Fuck. Even if he closed out the tabs at lightning speed, his lover would be suspicious. How was he supposed to explain any of THIS to Sasuke? Itachi hadn't entirely come to terms with everything himself yet.

Sasuke smiles slyly. "But sneaking up on you is one of my favourite things to do. You never see it coming." His sharp, hawk-like eyes flicker across the screen, taking in the sight of several shots in the gallery. "Honour. Courage. Victory. Those are strong words to live by." Sasuke hums softly. "Are you hoping to get a tattoo, Itachi?"

"That might be because you're a ninja vampire. No one sees you coming, Love." Itachi banishes the stutter but not the ice cold terror coursing through his veins as he kisses Sasuke's nose. "And I might be considering it."

It wasn't something he'd ever really thought much of until now. Tattoos were really similar to having children ironically. It should be a choice that anyone could make and once you did it, there really wasn't any going back. It was a beautiful act of creation but he'd never really had anything that appealed to him enough to warrant writing it into his skin for universe knows how long. As a vampire, maybe it would eventually fade away but still.

Still, as far as ideas went...it would serve as a decent justification for visiting Kagami at least. The man was running a business and seeing a 'twenty-five year old man' walk into his shop for a tattoo would be nothing out of the ordinary. At least, he'd be able to see him in person. To talk to him. And...as Suigetsu said, he could 'wing it' or 'improvise' from there.

Itachi bites back a sigh at the thought. He was really fucked if the merman's tactics were starting to sound semi reasonable.

Sasuke reaches forward and scrolls with the mouse, clicking around until he finds an address for the shop. When he finds it, he raises an eyebrow. "You want to go all the way to Sydney to get a tattoo?"

"...Well, it is of exceptional quality." Itachi glides his tongue to catch a drop of blood welling up against his mouth. He'd bitten himself again. At this rate if it weren't for being a vampire, Itachi was certain his hair colour would match Kakashi's by the end of the day. "But no, that's not the only reason I'd like to go there."

Sasuke grows quiet, his eyes filling with silent worry. Then, he glides his hands over Itachi's shoulders and swings himself around to fit his knees in the spaces between Itachi's thighs and the arms of his desk chair. He runs his fingers through Itachi's hair and presses their foreheads together, his gaze holding a suppressed intensity that glowed like the sun. "What's wrong, Itachi?" He licks at the blood spilling from Itachi's lips. "Tell me…"

He blinks furiously in an effort to keep the tears at bay. "I didn't know...that's what's wrong," he takes a deep breath trying to control himself before pointing to Kagami's face, "take a good look at this man and tell me what you see."

Sasuke blinks, then looks over his shoulder and turns lightly in Itachi's lap. He scrolls over the picture, growing silent and pensive for a long moment. For a full minute, Sasuke says nothing, merely stares at the picture as he chews on unspoken words.

Finally, Sasuke turns himself to sit across Itachi's lap, staring solemnly at his lover, his mate, the man who held all of his heart. And then, as if sharing his pain, Sasuke smiles sadly. "I see you."

"Yes, that's...one way of putting it." Itachi leans against Sasuke for support. It was amazing he hadn't collapse into a pile of goo thus far. "After the moon landing, everyone was so excited. We went out to celebrate. I met a woman named Naomi there and we got carried away. We were careful and it wasn't long after that that I was turned into a vampire. So, I never thought... his birthday is in 1970, Sasuke. The timing matches..." Perfectly.

Sasuke strokes Itachi's hair and peppers light little kisses across the silken strands. "I understand. Believe me…I understand how you feel." For so long, he'd lived in the darkness of believing that every last trace of his family was gone, save for himself and Indra.

"I know you do. I wasn't...keeping this from you." He sighs at the gentle administrations. It was comforting. Grounding. A lifeboat in the ocean of emotions whirling around inside his mind. "I only found out yesterday and I wanted to know more about them before telling you. Kagami has a son. His name is Shisui. He's 23."

"I see…" Sasuke pulls a cellphone from his pocket and begins typing quickly, his thumb flying across the keys at lightning speed to type out a message two paragraphs long, and with no shortage of caps lock.

Then, Sasuke hits send and tucks the phone back in his pocket as he slides off Itachi's lap. "Alright, come with me." He slides his hands into Itachi's and squeezes them tightly.

"Who were you messaging just now? And where are we going?" Itachi looks up at his mate in confusion.

"Kakashi." Sasuke tugs Itachi up from the chair and pulls him halfway across the room before walking right into Itachi's closet and retrieving a rolling suitcase from within. "Now hurry up and grab anything you want to bring with us."

"Alright." Itachi starts grabbing his necessities as if in a daze. Like his body was moving without his mind's permission. "But shouldn't we come up with a plan? What am I supposed to say to them? I was considering going to his tattoo shop. It would give me an excuse to see him but look at me, Sasuke. He's never going to believe I'm his father, let alone Shisui's grandfather."

Sasuke stops in place and sighs, then looks back over his shoulder at Itachi as he tosses some boxers haphazardly into the suitcase. "You won't know what to say to them until you meet them for yourself. As for an explanation…" Sasuke shakes his head. "We'll cross that bridge when we reach it. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to explain vampires to a human." He takes the clothes from Itachi's hands and sets them aside, turning Itachi to face him. "Remember, whether they know it or not, they're Uchiha. Uchiha are neither weak-willed or faint-hearted."

"I love you but we're so screwed if YOU'RE using the Suigetsu Approach." A laugh escapes him despite the situation as he shoves more clothes into his suitcase. "But," his eyes soften as he looks at his mate with love, "thank you. For taking this so well. I don't know what I'd do without you." Probably have spent days upon days looking up every scrap of information he could find. Then told Sasuke and have prayed to whatever higher power existed the other vampire would take it well.

"Itachi…" Sasuke's lips curve into a wistful smile of his own. "I spent a century and a half believing that I was alone in the world. The only member of our family left. Though it's not the way I would have wanted this to happen, we have a chance now. A chance to rebuild the clan, even if only a little. I've seen enough darkness in my life that I will cling to any piece of light you give me, even if only by accident."

He rests his head on top of Sasuke's, wrapping his arms around his lover. "You're right. It's not every day a miracle happens, let alone two. And they both look healthy at first blush, maybe...maybe they'll take it well. Even join us one day." Itachi knew that he was playing with fire now. Getting his hopes up but Sasuke's confidence was one hell of a drug.

"Maybe so. And this way, at the very least we can protect them." For now, Sasuke would take what he could get and work his way in from there. For Itachi, and for their family too.

Sasuke was a master of efficiency. In what seemed like no time at all, they were packed, had bought their plane tickets, and even flown to Australia. Naturally, Itachi had spent most of the flight researching Kagami and Shisui online. He'd even checked out a few psychology articles about bonding with your adult children and grandchildren. Much to Sasuke's unholy amusement. Sasuke was still sporting a pink mark on his forehead from Itachi's revenge.

"You know, I've never actually been here before." Itachi smiles looking out at the gorgeous beaches and ocean. It was strangely pristine. "I suppose if nothing else, this also functions as a vacation. I could try my hand at surfing or scuba diving. I've always wanted to try that." And as a vampire it wasn't like he had to worry about coming up for air. He could admire the view to his heart's content.

"Maybe Shisui can teach you, it seems like the sort of thing a kid like him might enjoy." Sasuke swirls some whiskey in a glass and smirks over the rim, obviously still sour over the lingering bruise on his forehead. "Just be sure not to put out your back, Grandpa. I wouldn't want to be wheeling my mate out of here in a wheelchair."

Huffing, Itachi smacks his mate upside the head. "You're lucky I love you or I would have aimed lower. Asshole. I may be a grandfather but you're at least a ten times over great uncle. If anyone needs a wheelchair, it's you."

Sasuke laughs and ducks just enough to avoid the worst of the swat. "The day I need a wheelchair will be the day you finally stop complaining that I have the sex drive of an eighteen year-old." It was rare that Sasuke appreciated being turned at the age he was, but at least he only got called old when someone knew he wasn't actually twenty-one.

"You do have the sex drive of an eighteen year old but I don't complain about it." Itachi crosses his arms and tries not to blush. "Anyway, I hope you'll behave yourself in front of them."

"I know, I know." Sasuke smirks and tugs on a leather jacket over his dark, sleeveless shirt. "Act like a normal college-age kid so no one suspects a thing." He leans up to peck Itachi coyly on the lips. "Don't worry about a thing, Itachi, I've been practicing."

"...Leather jackets on you in public ought to be illegal." Itachi sighs, rubbing his temples. It was going to be a long, HARD trip apparently. "But good. I trust your savvy college self can navigate supernatural customs?"

"That won't be a problem." Sasuke leans back in his seat as the plane descends towards Sydney's Kingston airport. "I had Kakashi contact them ahead of time so they know to expect us. You won't have to use your human passport today."

"That's something. " Itachi stretches, looking out the window. His voice growing smaller. "Assuming we can get beyond the supernatural bombshells, do you think they'll like me?" He'd missed so much. Their births, first steps, first words, first day of schools...even Kagami's wedding most likely. And he was closer to a hundred than not. There were so many gaps between them. What was he supposed to do take them fishing or something? What did normal fathers and grandfathers do anyway?

Sasuke is quiet for a moment, then reaches out his hand and Squeezes Itachi's fingers in his own. "Open your heart to them like you did to me, and I can't imagine them loving you any less than you deserve." Sasuke kisses Itachi's fingers, his lips bumping against them as the plane touches down on the runway. "Tell me, do you love them?"

"Of course, I do. They're family." True. He knew precious little of them. But Itachi rather liked to think that when he saw them for the first time that was how most people felt about their children and grandchildren for the first time. "And how do you do that? Go from being such a brat to impossibly perfect?"

"It's just who I am." Sasuke smiles, and this time, it was the rarest of his smiles. A soft, gentle thing that reminded Itachi of the fathomless love that Sasuke had kept hidden in a cold outer shell for so much of his life. "You always bring out the best in me, whether I'm being a brat or trying to be as wise as Indra."

"I love you." Itachi smiles, pulling Sasuke in for a kiss. If anyone happened by them, they'd be in for one hell of a show. But he didn't give a damn. Sasuke could be so sweet when he wanted to be.

Sasuke returns the kiss, lingering there for a few minutes, before slowly drifting away. "And I love you, Itachi." When the plane finally comes to a stop, Sasuke brushes a few strands of hair from Itachi's face and brushes his thumbs beneath Itachi's eyes. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. I don't think anyone is ever truly ready to become a parent." And especially not to become a parent and a grandparent in the same day. "But with you at my side, I can handle anything." He smiles, getting up and pulling his lover with him.

"Good, then grab your bags." Sasuke pulls a duffel and a suitcase down from one of the overhead compartments, setting them on the floor as the plane door opens and a older woman steps inside.

Following a slight bow, the woman raises her head, a knowing glint in her dark eyes as they gleam bright orange for a moment, leaving only slits for pupils. "Good afternoon, gentlemen." Flawless Japanese leaves her lips, leaving little question to her land of origin. "My name is Iris, and I will be performing your customs inspection today."

Itachi issues a polite bow to the woman. While the woman was hiding her wings, those eyes were unmistakable. She was a harpy. He'd only read about them before. It was rather difficult to guess their population due to them being able to hide their wings at will. "It's a pleasures, Iris. I'm Itachi and this is Sasuke. I'm afraid you won't find anything interesting in our belongings other than his boxers."

Iris laughs as Sasuke throws a withering look over his shoulder. "I'm sure." She smooths out her blue suit jacket and clasps her hands before her. "I take it you are the elder?"

Sasuke rolls his eyes and produces a dark red passport the colour of thickened blood. "I am. As my Childe may have explained while expediting the visa applications, we're here to visit family that we've only recently discovered. As you likely know, our kind often lose track of human relatives after a few centuries."

"Of course." Iris takes the passport and flips through it, her eyes widening slightly as she looks between it and Sasuke's face. In mere moments, her jovial demeanor grows serious, and a wariness takes over her gaze. She closes the passport up and returns it to the elder vampire. "My apologies. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Uchiha. Welcome to Australia."

"Don't worry, I've never been a stickler for that much formality." Sasuke returns his passport to a hidden pocket in his jacket, sealing it up where no one would accidentally come across it.

"Thank you." Itachi smiles at her. Hoping to reassure the harpy. Over the years, he'd gotten used to this. Sasuke was rather well-known in the supernatural community, it seemed. Though thankfully, no one had ever addressed him as Lord Uchiha. He assumed it was to prevent confusion. "Shall we be going, Love?"

"Yes, the car will be waiting outside to take us to the house." Sasuke nods at the woman as she steps aside to allow them to pass. He steps down the stairs to the asphalt without missing a beat. "Once we're settled in, we can decide what our next move is."

Itachi arches an eyebrow. House? What house? Sasuke had never mentioned having a home there. What exactly had his lover been getting up to. "Did you seriously buy a house in less than a day without so much as a walk through?"

Sasuke shoots Itachi a lazy smile. "You forget, dear mate, that I have more connections across our world than you can dream of."

Itachi snorts and shakes his head. "You're peacocking and you know it." The show off.